Improved boat for traveling on ice



NITED STATES PATENT QEETGE.,

JOHN n. HALsEY, oF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVED B'OAT FOR TRAVELING ON ICE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,815, dated ctober 16, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. HALSEY, of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful lm provements in the Construction 0f Ice- Boats; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,'and exact description thereof, and of their mode or manner of operation, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, and making a part of this specification.

My invention or improvements have more particular reference to the construction and arrangement of the parts used for propulsion, and by which the vessel can be more easily driven and controlled.

Figure l is a perspective view of the entire boat. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view, showing the internal division and the arrangement of the propelling-power. Fig. 3 is a cross-section through the driving-wheels. Fig. 4 is a side view of the mechanism for adjusting the position of the driving-wheels. Fig. 5 shows one of the clutches on the drivingwheel shaft. Figs. 6 to l() show the devices for taking the ice.

The boat may be constructed in the form of an ordinary boat, or may be shaped as desired; but it should be made entirely tight or seaworthy, so that when driven into the water under any circumstances it will insure 'safety and protection to the passengers as well as when on the ice-surface. The bottom of the vessel will, however, be tlat, without any keel, and adapted for being supported, as hereinafter mentioned.

The boat or vessel is supported on short sleds or bobs, placed under the forward and the back ends of the boat, either singly or in pairs,

though I prefer the latter arrangement. The

sleds or bobs that are placed under the back ends of the boat are firmly attached to the boat, and only move with it. Those, however, that are placed under the front end of the boat are connected thereto by means of a kingbolt or its equivalent, upon which they can freely turn.

From such forward sleds extend `ropes or chains, which connect with and pass over a wheel or capstan in the pilots room 3, by means of which such sleds can be turned at pleasure,

and the course and direction or" the boat varied and controlled.

By the use of double sleds, or a sled with double runners on each side, as shown in section in Fig. 3, a larger number of bearingsurfaces is secured and the weight distributed.

These sleds are made and shod substantially like ordinary bobs. Att-ached to the bottom of the boat, and extending backward and under the front end of each ruimer, is a spring, 8, which acts as a sort of guide to the runner in causing it more easily to pass over any obstructions before it. Y

Entrance to theboat is by means of stairs, as shown in Fig. l. Such stairs may, however, be placed in any part or increased in number.

The internal arrangement of the boat may be as desired under any circumstances. Fig. 2 shows what is deemed a convenient and ecoA nomical division of space.

Extending across the boat, just aft of midships, is a shaft, a, supported in proper bearings, and carrying the driving wheels 6 6. Such wheels are made substantially like ordinary paddle-wheels of steamboats, except that, in place of buckets, there are fixed to the periphery of the wheel, or to the outer ends of the radiating arms of the wheel, strong metallic projections, for taking hold of the surface of the ice and propelling the boat as the wheels are revolved. These metallic projections or ice-feet are best made wedge-shaped, terminating in a bluntish edge and having a broad base, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8, so as to furnish a suitable means for attaching them to the periphery of the wheel. These ice-feet may have a continuous edge or acting-surface, extending entirely across the surface of the periphery of the wheel; or the acting-surface may be divided, as shown in Fig. 8, or the aeting-surface may be chisel-like, as shown in Fig. 9, or conical, as shown in Fig. l0. The particular shape of the acting-surface is not material, provided it is so formed as easily to take hold of and pass from the ice-surface.

Motion is given to the driving-wheels by a steam-en gine placed in the hull of the vessel an oscillating engine, b, acting directly upon the crank, being preferred. The crank to which the engine is attached is not, however, fixed to the shaft carrying the driving-wheels, but to an independent shaft, upon which is a gear` Wheel, c, which meshes into another wheel, d,

on the main shaft a, and thus revolves the latter. This method or arrangement of gearing is adopted so as to allow such a construction or plan of support to the shaft c that the driving-Wheels can be moved up and down to cause the propelling-surfaces to enter more or less into the ice. The bearings of the shaft a are movable and rise or fall in a curved line which is a part of a circle having its center at the center of the crank-shaft, and with a radius equal to the distance from the center of the crank-shaft to the center of the ina-in shaft. The rising and falling of the driving-Wheels will thus not interfere with the action of the geared wheels c and d, but their action on each other will be the same, Whatever the position of the main shaft.

The main shaft and its driving-wheels are supported in any desired position, and so as to secure required -pressure to cause the icefeet to sufficiently penetrate the ice-surface, by means of the lever e, which has its fuleruin at f, and connects at one end to the main shaft, and on the other end carries a movable Weight, as shown in Fig. 4.

Upon the main shaft, near each driving- Wheel, is a clutch, g, by means of which either Wheel can be disconnected from the shaft When desired, as for turning round, or for any other purpose. These clutches are acted upon by convenient levers.

In addition, also, to the method of steering by turning` the forward sleds or bobs, there may be placed at the back end of the beat a rudder, 5, Fig. l, and this may be .so arranged as to be operated by the same mechanism that is used to turn theforward sleds. The application and use of such arudder secure greater ease and certainty'in guiding the boat. Such rudder is not, however, iirrnly connected to the rudder-post, but connects therewith by a joint or hinge, so that it can risc and fall as it passes over inequalities in the surface of the ice. A

spring, h. attached to the stern of the boat and 4 extending down to and resting upon the top of the rudder, keeps the rudder constantly against the surface of the ice.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters. Patent, is

l. The arrangement of the geared Wheels o and d, for giving motion from the crank-shaft to the main shaft, in combination with the lifting-lever c, or its equivalent, for adjusting the position of the main shaft and its driving- Wheels, the Whole operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. rlhe application and use of the guardsprin gs S in front of the runners, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. Connectingthemovableorswiugiug sleds and the stern-rudder with the steering mechanism, substantially in the manner described, so that the said sle'ds and stern-rudder may be simultaneously actuated by such mechanism, as aud for the purposes herein shown and set forth.

4. The application and use, in combination vwith a rudder hinged as described, of a spring to act upon such rudder and keep the samein con tact with the ice,for the purposes set fort-h.

5. A steam ice-boat, its several parts constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

JOHN R. HALSEY. TWitnesses:

S. D. LAW, W. R. RoNALDE. 

